I refuse to let them beat us, were getting away. Today. Theres almost no food left or water. The last thing mom said before she left for Aunt Sara's was: Stay out of trouble. I'll only be gone an hour, take good care of Avery.

It's been two days. We were to go grocery shopping. I hate it, but really wouldn't mind at all now. Not one bit. Mom... Dad..

More came out of the forest sholder to sholder. Wild animals didn't normally act like this, deer were skiddish once. I still ——

A shadow blocked the light, two hoves crashed onto my back. A bolt of pain spread down my spine and pooled in the middle. I screamed.

"Ya, twisted Bambi get off my sister!" Crack. Shards of wood flew past my face imbedding in the grass.

Blood dripped off of Avery's forhead murging with a brown brown staining it red. His face turned bright red as fat tears rolled free of his eyes. Still, he took both my hands in his yanking me into a stand.

"Hey!" Before I could say more his usually dancing eyes held a don't argue intensity within that he'd never shown before. "I'm not listening to you anymore, I want dad, I want mom!"

Maybe it was best, to let him this time, at least he wasn't blubbering anymore. "Brat. You're right though. Brave brat brother B.B.B" I fouced out a laugh. Ha ha? I eyed three more does and a young buck sapling behind us.

He rolled his eyes, sniffing. "Um, what way?"

Trees, trees, and more trees, where were the—

Skill level.,,,,,_-(!??---

Error.

Rebooting system...

Please wait.

"Wait? We don't have time you glutchy outdated cold hearted tin brained jack ass!" Swatting it away made the text scrample into a dizzing array of lights and flashing words.

The system was always out to get me, now what useless "skill" was it trying to make me use?

Several beeps that sounded suspiciously like snorts.

System message:

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<(｀^´)>

"There's no time!" He went behind me and pushed me into the forest.

When I reached the edge of the forest, I slowed a little to step carefully over the huge log blocking out path, and helped Avery climb over.

Im the forest, he increased to a fast walk once past the log. "This is the worst way to go!"

He frowned that impossibly deep frown of his. It had to hurt his face. "I want this all to go away!" His voice cracked along with a snerk of snot being sucked back in. I can't let him start crying again or they'll kill us.

"You're right." Beside him now I held his hand tight and took off running. "Don't think about anything else, just keep going." Something was seriously wrong, everything was broken.

Several branches in the face later we made it to a clearing. Looking behind us the deer stopped just short or entering, they pranced and snorted along the edge but didn't enter.

Huh.

I resisted the urge to oss some rocks at their big dumb heads. Better not. The news was wrong, the paper said the crazed animals hadn't gotten this far yet. Nothing to worry about, everyone could go back to work, and school. We were safe. Dad's at work, he's safe of course he us. Mom too, we'll be back together in no time.

The pain in my back almost went away. Weird, but okay.

Avery glared at doe.

I couldn't look at them long a grayish film covered their eyes blanking out the entire eye. It muzzle wrinkled as it snarled showing it's huge flat teeth.

"Leave us alone!" It was stupid to shout at them, besides they're violent enough.

An icy river clenched my heart, each swallow burned of near battery acid. If I cracked now he would too, right now I'm all he has. Damn it. This wasn't the best place, are we trapped? I took in a shaky breath and squeezed my icy hand into a fist.

Avery broke the glaring contest first and came beside me.

I shifted part of my attention back to him while scanning the clearing. A glint in the distance?

I pointed off ahead. "See it?"

He squinted, thrn slowly nodded while still squinting. "What is it?"

"Not a deer, lets go see, maybe..."

"Ah, better than staying here. If it's nothing I'm calling you idiot for the rest of the day."

I smirked. "Deal." No stupid deer is going to win. Whatever this is.

#####

After a few feet, the flashing increased. Maybe it was more then a few feet, my brain felt fuzzy around the edges like a sock wrapped around my awareness.

"They're following us." He crooked his head to the edge of the clearing. Dark circles swalloed his eyes.

He's way more tired than he's letting on. I'll get you someplace warm and safe. I whispered a silent prayer to the system. Help him please.

More deer and a bear followed with us at the edge of the clearing, some were hitting it with their legs and butting their heads against, nothing?

"What the hell is going on here?" Shaking my head I kept chasing after the light, the flashing increased to every minute or so.

Avery picked up speed, his face scrunched up. A second later he croaked then coughed and sputtered. "Hey! Anybody! We need help!" he waved frantically at no one.

I was too tired to worry about who's or what attention he was trying to grab, I was used to that; he's a little impulsive. Besides who gave a flying fuck right now? I'll take any help we can have right now.

Another deer joined the fold rammed the—I'm assuming barrier of some sort— after bashing its head until blood squirted ftom its nose, it stuck it's head through and snapped at us.

I squeeled, jerked Avery away and kept going towards the light. Please be a person, not some some sick joke. A real person. Anyone, I don't care just help us!